She worked with famous Iranian new wave[1] directors both before and after the 1979 revolution, such as Samuel Khachikian, Amir Naderi, Nosrat Karimi, Masoud Kimiyayi, and Alireza Davood Nejad.

[3] She portrayed Mahde Olya (Nasereddin Shah's mother) in Soltan-e Sahebgheran directed by Ali Hatami in 1976.

In 1951 she joined the Noushin group in Sa'di theater, performing in works including Oscar Wilde's Lady Windermere's Fan.

[10][11] "In that time (1950s in Iran) Italian films were on top and people were so passionate about Silvana Mangano and Sophia Loren.

After some years in theater she joined the cinema industry in 1958, acting in films such as The Man who Suffered directed by Mohammad Ali Jafari and Awaited by Ataollah Zahed.

At the time Iranian women could not act in sexy clothes, but because Irene was of an Armenian family, she did not have that limitation and wore a two-piece swim suit [14] in The Messenger from Heaven.

In the early 1970s she worked with many Iranian new wave directors such as Amir Naderi (Goodbye Friend), Masoud Kimiyai (Baluch), Khosrow Haritash (Speeding Naked till High Noon) and Shapoor Gharib (The Rooster).

[10] Among her most acclaimed and controversial roles was the portrayal of a traditional Iranian Muslim woman in Mohallel while she was Armenian.

Couples cannot remarry for a fourth time until the ex-wife marries another man, to ensure that divorce is not taken lightly.

[18] Another TV series was Abunasr's Throne (Persian: تخت ِ ابونصر), based on a story of Sadegh Hedayat and a screenplay by Ahmad Shamlu.

[21] After the Iranian Revolution Irene was banned from performing as an actress, so she travelled to Germany to live with her sister.